1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to screed board apparatus, and more particularly, to screed board apparatus used by a single individual, with the screed board harnessed to the individual and movable by the individual.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A screed board is used in cement finishing work for leveling freshly poured concrete. If the area of the concrete is relatively narrow, a screed board, which is usually simply a relatively long, straight, board, may be operated by two individuals who place the board on the concrete forms and move the board back and forth along the forms to level the concrete after it has been freshly poured.
For concrete pours in an area longer or wider than may be screeded in the manner discussed in the preceding paragraph, other types of screed board systems have been developed. One such screed system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,873. The apparatus of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,873 patent discloses a structural frame which utilizes a motor (or motors) secured to the frame for vibration purposes. The frame system is disposed on the concrete forms, and is pulled by a single individual through a harness or cable system.
Other types of screed systems have been developed over the years, such as is found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,986. The U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,986 patent discloses a screed board having a pair of handles secured to each end of the board. The apparatus is designed to be placed on forms and moved along the top of the forms by workers at each end of the board holding the handles.
Another type of screed apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,466, which discloses a screed having a single handle secured to the screed board and extending away from the screed board, plus a plurality of handles or hand grips on the screed board itself. Several men are used to move the screed board, with one man gripping the single handle, while other men grip the screed board directly through the hand grip.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,735 discloses another type of screed board which includes a pair of handles secured to the board and a chain securing the board to a belt on a user. The user holds the handles to position or move the screed board, with a substantial part of the movement of the screed coming through the chain linkage secured to him. Springs extend between the screed board and the handles to allow a vibrating motion of the screed board by movement imparted by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,984 discloses a tool used for overhead work, such as in plastering, and the like. The apparatus includes a harness secured to the user which supports the primary weight of the apparatus. A pair of handles extends from the overhead tool to the harness. The user of the apparatus guides the tool through the handles while the primary weight of the tool is supported through the harness by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,999,261 discloses a bull float used in cement finishing. The bull float includes a handle secured to the float through a mechanical linkage which automatically adjusts the angle of the board with respect to the handle as the board is pushed and as it is pulled. The angle automatically changes through the mechanical linkage as the user applies force to the handle to push the board and as force is applied to the handle to pull the board, thus maintaining a proper angular orientation between the board and the concrete which is to be worked by the board.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,046,856 discloses a cement tamping tool which includes handles extending upwardly from the body of the tool. The handle is fixed to the tool to maintain a fixed orientation between the handle and the tool which allows the user to pick the tool up, off the concrete, and to push the tool back downwardly, onto the concrete, in the tamping process.
It will be noted that, with respect to the screed boards disclosed in the above-discussed patents, none of them includes a solid linkage between the user and the board that allows the user to both push and pull the board with his body while at the same time manuevering the board through the solid linkage between himself and the screed board.